Some Key Dates and Events in the Life of Andrew Carnegie

Andrew Carnegie Essay written by aliciareagan@neo.tamu.edu A man of Scotland, a distinguished citizen of the United States, and a philanthropist devoted to the betterment of the world around him, Andrew Carnegie became famous at the turn of the twentieth century and became a real life rags to riches story. Born in Dunfermline, Scotland, on November 25, 1835, Andrew Carnegie entered the world in poverty. The son of a hand weaver, Carnegie received his only formal education during the short time between his birth and his move to the United States. When steam machinery for weaving came into use, Carnegie's father sold his looms and household goods, sailing to America with his wife and two sons. At this time, Andrew was twelve, and his brother, Thomas, was five. Arriving into New York on August 14, 1848, aboard the Wiscasset from Glasgow, the Carnegies wasted little time settling in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, a suburb of Pittsburgh, where relatives already existed and were there to provide help. Allegheny City provided Carnegie's first job, as a bobbin boy in a cotton factory, working for $1.20 a week. His father also worked there while his mother bound shoes at home, making a minuscule amount of money. Although the Carnegies lacked in money, they abounded in ideals and training for their children. At age 15, Carnegie became a telegraph messenger boy in Pittsburgh. He learned to send and decipher telegraphic messages and became a telegraph operator at the age of 17. Carnegie's next job was as a railroad clerk, working for the Pennsylvania Railroad. He worked his way up the ladder, through his dedication and honest desire to succeed, to become train dispatcher and then division manager. At this time, young Carnegie, age 24, had already made some small investments that laid the foundations of his what would be tremendous fortune. One of these investments was the purchase of stock in the Woodruff Sleeping Car Company. In 1864, Carnegie entered the iron business, but...

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By far the most profitable businessman during his age, AndrewCarnegie left his mark on industry, and profoundly impacted the expansion of business enterprise in America. Essentially, Carnegie rose from poverty to become one of the most influential, industrial tycoon’s in history by single-handedly building the American steel industry. During his time, Carnegie was known as being a prolific writer, but is most remembered for the entrepreneurial, and philanthropic career he created himself. By initiating numerous opportunities, consistently working hard, and being a fast learner, Carnegie was able to successfully build an empire of wealth not only for himself, but to greatly benefit America’s leading business industry we recognize today.
On November 25th in 1835, AndrewCarnegie was born into poverty in Dunfermline, Scotland. His father, William Carnegie, was a linen weaver, and a local leader of the Chartists, who sought out to improve the conditions of the working-class life in Great Britain. His mother, Margaret Carnegie, was a shoemaker, as well as a political, and social reformer.
In 1848, the Carnegie family decided to immigrate to the United States, and ended up settling in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. There, Andrew began...

...opportunity. Opportunities, if taken at the chance, enabled men to access wealth. AndrewCarnegie is the perfect example of an entrepreneur and man who built the roots of American infrastructure. He can also lived the ‘perfect’ American dream. He has a typical ‘rags to riches’ story, which makes him a historical icon and an admirable man. Carnegie is known to have built a fortune on steel. However, the ways in which he made money could be considered an abuse to ethics and moral rights. Toward the end of his life, Carnegie decided to use his wealth for the greater good of the community and encouraged learning. For the above reasons, he can be considered as a robber baron, but I believed that he also worked for the greater good of human nature.
Carnegie was able to take opportunities to create a vast fortune. He came from absolutely nothing, but is known as a captain of industry. He monopolised wealth, transport and infrastructure. He was born in Scotland in 1835. His family migrated to America in 1848 when he was thirteen. As a young boy, he worked in a cotton factory in Pittsburgh. He did not have many years of schooling nor attended university but he became the richest man on the planet during the industrial revolution. In this sense, he is the incarnation of the American Dream. One of Carnegie’s sayings; “The first man gets the oyster, the second gets the shell” explains his career...

...AndrewCarnegie was a Scottish-American who lived during the 19th century. Carnegie was an industrialist who played a pivotal role in the expansion of the American steel industry. Although he sometimes used methods that hurt the people to make profit , Carnegie contributed to America's growth as a nation economically because he connected different parts of America by building bridges and railroads and he helped cities to grow by building modern structures such as skyscrapers.
Carnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland in the attic of a small house on November 25th, 1835.1 He was named after his grandfather, AndrewCarnegie, who was a popular man in the district, being the head of the lively ones of his day and the chief of their club, “Patiemuir College.”2 He grew up having little formal education, but his family held books and learning at a high level of importance.3 In 1848, when he was 13 years old, Carnegie and his family moved to the United States and made a home in Allegheny, Pennsylvania. He worked in a factory and later worked his way through the telegraphing business. Carnegie’s ability to get his foot in the door of the railroad business enabled him to learn the tricks of the trade and also about business altogether. 4 With the experiences he acquired, he was well on his way to becoming one of the most successful business men in America of his time....

...AndrewCarnegie: A Caring Businessman
AndrewCarnegie was a brilliant man. A man who had a goal and stopped at nothing to achieve it. Some call him a robber baron and others, a captain of industry. At thirteen years of age Carnegie had moved to America from Scotland. This move was exactly what was needed for AndrewCarnegie to begin building his empire and in doing so, contributing to society along the way. I respect Carnegie a great deal for his success and by no means, contribute his success to anything other than his determination, want and persistence. I feel Carnegie contributed a great deal to society. He has paved many ways and helped society evolve greatly. Many portray him as this monster who cared not for anyone except his money and success however, that is not the case. In my eyes, someone who comes from such a background as Carnegie had, should be proud of his accomplishments. Unfortunately, envy and jealousy are a part of human nature. We always want what we can’t have yet, we can have most of the things we want but, to do so usually means we have to work harder, think outside the box and take risks. We have to have the want. Carnegie did.
I am baffled that more people cannot see the good that Carnegie has done. Most of the people in Carnegie’s time had jobs due to him. Now,...

...and other forms of industry dominated the economy. One of very few men to accept this change in the U.S., AndrewCarnegie overcame his humble underpinnings and became the owner of one of the largest steel companies in the nation. Many poor laborers and citizens of limited means did not reap the benefits of the industrial age as a result of poor working and living conditions in this time. Mr. Carnegie wrote the article, The Gospel of Wealth, in response to the many critics of the Gilded Age.
According to Carnegie, the Industrial Age of the U.S. was witness to a great divide in humanity. American Business was able to grow by more than 400 percent between 1860 and 1900 alone. Similarly the nation’s wealth capitalized from 16 billion to 18 billion in this short time. As a product of the Laissez Faire ideology (little to no government regulation in the market), monopolies were allowed to emerge. John D. Rockefeller, J.P. Morgan, and AndrewCarnegie became large public figures from their mastery of Big Business and the economy. However, while the economy and business prospered, many common workers suffered from 10 hour workdays for six days a week, low wages of one dollar and fifty cents per hour, abhorred working conditions, and sometimes serious injuries causing death: on average, 35,000 deaths and 500,000 injuries per year, as reported by Claver.gprep.org in 1890. Carnegie...

...ways of transportation, building, and communication were being discovered or invented. All around America businesses were popping up and men would be walking away filthy rich. But what defines a man to be a hero? Is it how much money he has, the way he grew up, what he did for others, or dying for his country? AndrewCarnegie was no Ulysses Grant but he was also not Vanderbilt, Carnegie gave back to his country with the riches he earned. We cannot look upon Carnegie as being the child with the silver spoon in his mouth growing up. He was poor growing up and was business savvy which is how he became rich. We should not punish him for using his knowledge to become successful but we should look at what he did with the money. AndrewCarnegie was a hero, he not only brought the steel idea to America but with his riches he gave back.
The people who have the power are the people with money, One reason why AndrewCarnegie was a hero was because of his influences on renovating the American steel industry which helped create the U.S a world power. Secondly, AndrewCarnegie was a hero is because he helped create jobs that employed many Americans. Finally, Carnegie was a hero is because he was one of the most influential philanthropists. He also brought new form of management control by integrating all suppliers of raw...

...AndrewCarnegie was born in Dunfermline, Scotland in 1835. His father, Will, was a weaver and a follower of Chartism, a popular movement of the British working class that called for the masses to vote and to run for Parliament in order to help improve conditions for workers. The exposure to such political beliefs and his family's poverty made a lasting impression on young Andrew and played a significannot
role in his life after his family immigrated to the United States in 1848. AndrewCarnegie amassed wealth in the steel industry after immigrating from Scotland as a boy. He came from a poor family and had little formal education. The roots of Carnegie's internal conflicts were planted in Dunfermline, Scotland, where he was born in 1835, the son of a weaver and political radical who instilled in young Andrew the values of political and economic equality. His family's poverty, however, taught Carnegie a different lesson. When the Carnegies emigrated to America in 1848, Carnegie determined to bring prosperity to his family. He worked many small jobs which included working for the Pennsylvania Railroad where he first recognized the importance of steel. With this recognition, he resigned and started the Keystone Bridge Company in 1865. He built a steel-rail mill, and bought out a small steel company. By 1888, he had a large plant. Later on he sold his...

...AndrewCarnegie is a legend in industry. He was He was born in Scotland in 1835. He came to America and started his working career in a cotton mill as a bobbin boy. He was a hard worker, and quickly was promoted through the ranks of Western Union and the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. In 1865, he quit and started his own business, the famous and notorious Carnegie Steel Company. His company was responsible for starting the steel industry in Pittsburgh, and he and his company left their imprint on industry and big business for years to come. He retired at the age of 65 and sold his company to J.P Morgan for 480 million dollars.
Carnegie has been shown as a cutthroat businessman and his company as a ruthless monopoly in the history books, yet he was also a philanthropist who donated over $350 million during his lifetime. He founded and supported many libraries that are still used today. He wanted to help those who had fallen upon hard times and misfortune without giving them handouts, because "you cannot push anyone up a ladder unless he is willing to climb up a little." (Carnegie) Instead, he put the opportunity within reach. "Carnegie's philanthropy was intended to empower ordinary men and women by making knowledge and ideas conveniently available to them. He is best remembered for providing the financial incentives to build almost two thousand free public libraries across the United States."...